As a follow on from the feature with Censored here Rob chats to the band .
I caught up with Matt recently and put a few thoughts to him.
Where did you grow up?
Ilkeston; or Ilson as it's known round 'ere. Born and bred. Rough in parts, nice in others, bit like anywhere else in Britain really.
What are your early influences, in particular musical influences?
My family must be one of the least musical around, music was always there but no one was ever really enthusiastic about it until I came along. In the mid-nineties I always liked Blur over Oasis, which was probably mainly because my brother was an Oasis fan. The main bands were Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Paul Weller, which I think was the same for everyone around that time, although I wasn't even ten my musical taste hasn't really changed that much now, just expanded. I'll always go back to 'Definitely Maybe' and 'Stanley Road' as my favourite records, and they were the first two CDs that I bought. Plus, Football was massive at the time for me though, I love my blue and white Owls, particularly proud at the minute, and I spent a a couple of years at Coventry City FC before my knee fucked up.
When did you start to play music?
At some point in the nineties,
I heard the music on that 'Strongbow' advert where the glass gets the arrows
through it, which was 'Smoke On The Water', that was my first real knowledge
of the guitar and from then on I wanted to play and I've never looked back.
So you've always got Cider to thank for me picking up a guitar.
How did the band get together?
Me and Chris were mates since the day we met watching our older brothers play sunday morning football for Ilkeston Town, which we would later go on to do. Initially we were into football and 'Lego' but then Paul Weller happened to me, and he got massively into Stereophonics. We've wanted to be in a band ever since. Not just any band mind you! Nathan came along quite a few years later, he said he could play bass like Paul McCartney and told me loads of other bull-shit until eventually - as I would put it - he licked my arse enough until I let him in the band. Turns out he's a great songwriter, cracking singer and a fucking good bass player, no Macca though, but he'll do for me!!
For those who haven’t heard you, can you describe your sound.
It differs from songs to song. Alot of people have said The Who and The Jam, the occassional Beatles, Kinks or Kula Shaker, loads of bands, too many to mention, but most people don't really listen properly, just pick up on one little detail and link you to one thing or the other. I don't think we sound like anything to be honest, there's bits of all sorts. I don't really want to pigeon hole us, you gotta see it live.
How did you develop the Censored sound?
It's still developing. I don't think it will ever stop. We've never been ones getting into a rut, even from week to week, we'll want to sound The Jam one week, The Beatles the next and then The Specials, then go really off the wall and try Faithless, Kasabian or Jimi Hendrix. Every song we try and make sound like a single and as different as possible from the last thing we did. The Censored sound is pretty much mine and Nathan's vocals plus Chris' drums, which are pretty distinctive, shit hot being the main distinction. I think the togetherness is really our vibe and our sound, when we're going there's no real egos at play, we know what we're capable of and you can tell.
Are any of the songs autobiographical ?
All of mine are in a way 'cos they're my thoughts, and I think Nathan's are pretty much the same. When you get autobiographical you usually sing about love, usually love lost, and if you get politically you just tend to just swear alot. Occassionally I'll try and create a character but even something like 'Johnny Boy' is based on a mate of ours, a Perry Boy from round our way, a good lad.
What is your experience of playing the songs live ?
The best thing in the world, I don't even want to comtemplate doing anything else for the rest of my life. When people are singing along it's the greatest feeling ever.
You are very much mod - or mod influenced - band. Is that how you see yourselves?
I'm a Modernist. I don't care if any particular part of the press considers that to be uncool and the furthest thing from hip at this particular moment in time. We're definitely a Mod band, we're clean and we've got some nice suits but it's not restricting in the music department, I hate the idea that all mod bands should sound like the Who or whatever, Modernism has got a broad scope for anything and everything, as long as it sounds good. As some wise old monkey once said; "It's All About Good Taste".
Anyone who claims it's all about how many times you've watched Quadrophenia or if you've got a scooter, a pretty green parka and all that bollocks then count me out of the revolution, to me Modernism's all about individualism and an attitude that if someone says that they're a Mod and will be 'till the day they die, then they are a Mod. It's like this website, definitely a mod's website but not just all about one facet of modernism.
What about other art forms? Have any books or films had a big influence you?
Yeah, it's all in there and all appreciated. We all love films, I'm a bit bookish and Nathan's quite arty farty, almost to the point of being a bit pretentious, he won't mind me saying. Everything is an influence but there's not many things in particular that instantly spring to mind as having shaped the band, but there definitely things that have shaped us as individuals, the little things that make us the people and the mates we are.
Do you have any musical heroes ?
I don't really like to
say i've got heroes. There's people that I admire but I don't see them as
any different from myself, without wanting to sound arrogant, we're all just
human beings at the end of the day. John Squire is my favourite guitarist,
Paul Weller is my favourite singer, Ray Davies is my favourite songwriter,
Steve Marriott is my favourite front man, Noel Gallagher is always there if
you need a bit of a confidence boost or some belief. Anyone can do it. Belief
Is All!!
Are there any new bands out there at the moment who you particularly like ? The Ordinary Boys I think are the best thing since Oasis, live and on the record they make me bollocks tingle, so that's that. There's loads of decent bands out there, The Stands, Kaiser Chiefs, The Arctic Monkeys I like what I've heard, but alot of bands have only got one sound and get into a rut. But we don't ever want to do that, that's what great about being in a Mod band.
Is there anyone who you would particularly like to support ?
Anyone that gets a decent crowd that would be into us.
What are your plans for the immediate future ?
Keep doing gigs untill we become one of the most important live bands in the country and get ourselves a tidy little record deal and who knows?? "The next Jam", there's a few people that have said it's a possibility, and fuck it why not?!?!? No-one else has got the bollocks to try.
Cheers Matt. A young modernist off to keep the flame burning bright. The new Jam? With the soul and the passion they display both live and on record, you wouldn’t bet against it.
Rob Massey
